WIREDGOV

Yesterday marked the second National Stalking Awareness Day. The aim of the day is to help more victims feel confident seeking help early and to make sure that those they report the crime to know what can be done to help them.

One in five women and one in 10 men are a victim of stalking at some point in their lives. The Government is introducing two specific criminal offences to tackle this abhorrent crime:

• stalking, and
  
• stalking where there is a fear of violence or where the stalking causes serious alarm or distress that has a substantial effect on the day to day activities of the victim.

They will carry a maximum sentence of 6 months and five years in prison respectively. The new offences are part of the Protection of Freedoms Bill and will be enacted as soon as possible.

This year on National Stalking Awareness Day, charities and campaigners are urging more people to take stalking seriously through a series of awareness raising events and by making information leaflets available to people across the country.